Environmental Pollution

Mountaire Poultry Processing Contamination Settlement

Mountaire Farms of Delaware, Inc. is settling the second of two class actions against it. In this case, the complaint alleged that Mountaire’s poultry processing facility in Millsboro, Delaware disposed of contaminated wastewater and liquified sludge near homes and property in a way that resulted in the contamination of groundwater with nitrates and other substances.  Read more

Protein Solutions Noxious Odor Settlement

Protein Solutions, LLC (now called LinkOne Protein, LLC) is paying a little short of a million dollars to settle a class action about its industrial protein processing plant in Joplin, Missouri. According to the complaint, the plant emitted bad odors into the surrounding areas because of the conduct of Protein Solutions.  Read more

Sterilization Companies Ethylene Oxide Emissions Illinois Class Action

Ethylene oxide (EtO) is a carcinogen, says the complaint for this class action. It brings suit against three manufacturing and sterilization facilities in Willowbrook, Illinois, alleging that they emitted EtO into the atmosphere, “in both controlled and uncontrolled releases” over several decades.  Read more

Croda Plant at Atlas Point Carcinogenic Emissions Class Action

The substance known as EtO is odorless and colorless. Nevertheless, the complaint for this class action alleges that it is a known carcinogen, and that a plant owned by Croda, Inc. has been releasing it into the air in New Castle, Delaware, making people living nearby as much as four times more likely to develop  Read more

WestRock Wood Dust Nuisance Settlement

WestRock CP, LLC has entered into a settlement to resolve a class action about its West Point, Virginia facility. The complaint alleged that the facility emitted wood dust, which traveled onto other properties in the area, causing a loss of enjoyment of the properties. The loss of enjoyment allegations included a need for extra cleaning,  Read more

Union Carbide West Virginia Facility Ethylene Oxide Emissions Class Action

Union Carbide Corporation has a manufacturing facility in South Charleston, West Virginia that makes ethylene oxide for industrial purposes. The complaint for this class action calls the chemical “a powerful cancer-causing gas,” and alleges that the facility has been emitting it into the surrounding areas, “in both controlled and uncontrolled releases” for decades, thus raising  Read more

DuPont, 3M, Others Contaminated Water in Blades, Delaware Class Action

A number of class actions in recent years have address the poisoning of water sources by PFOA and PFOS chemicals used in firefighting foam at military bases. This case is similar, except that the chemicals come from manufacturing sources. The town is Blades, Delaware, and the companies named as defendants are E. I. DuPont de  Read more

Florida Sugar Growers Pre-Harvest Burning Pollution Class Action

Sugar causes pollution—or at least the production of sugar does. That’s the contention of this class action, which alleges that sugar cane growers south of Lake Okeechobee in Florida pollute the air with their agricultural activities.  Read more

Wolverine, 3M Toxic Chemicals in Water Supply Michigan Class Action

This class action is about the poisoning of drinking water due to the disposal of tannery and other waste, but it resembles recent cases about the effects of firefighting foams. Both substances have connections to the 3M Company; in this case, two other defendants are Wolverine Worldwide, Inc. and its agent Waste Management, Inc. of  Read more

Muscatine, Iowa Grain Processing Corporation Settlement

A Muscatine, Iowa company is settling a class action, with both payouts and promises to install better pollution control equipment. The complaint alleged that smoke, odor, and haze from the Grain Processing Corporation’s plant caused a nuisance to area residents.   Read more